Young People Need Honest Education About Sex and Drugs

One of the most important jobs of being a parent is to keep our kids safe. Two crucial and possibly difficult conversations parents will have with their children are about sex and drugs.

So what’s the best way to address these topics with children?

The New York Times Magazine had an article last weekend about a new approach to sex education. The course, run by Julie Metzger, uses openness and humor to make “The Talk” less dreadful for parents and children alike. The one-day programs are made up of parents and their children. The idea is that sex education should not only a health class in school, but also a conversation between parent and child.

While many sex education classes focus on abstinence-only instruction, these courses are about creating a safe place to have an open conversation. Here is how the Times describes it: “The first hour of each class amounts to an informative stand-up routine….the second hour is devoted to answering the girls’ questions.”